Voltage regulator



March 18 1924.

C- A. BO'DDIE VOLTAGE REGULATOR Filed Aug. 26, 1919 MM d N E0 M A m C 0e r 0 WITNESSES:

M a Walk.

AZTTORNEY Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE A. BODDIE, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING-HOUSE ELECTRIO & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

VOLTAGE REGULATOR.

Application filed August 26, 1919. Serial No. 319,905.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE A. BODDIE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in VoltageRegulators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to voltage regulators and particularly to voltageregulators of the vibratory type for maintaining substantially-constantsupply-circuit voltage.

One object of my invention is to provide a voltage regulator of thevibratory type that shall be compensated in accordance with theconditions obtaining upon the regulated circuit to maintainsubstantially-constant voltage on such circuit, irrespective of the loadcarried by the circuit.

In voltage regulators of the vibratory type now in'service, a maincontrol element is operated in accordance with the voltage obtaining ona regulated circuit for shortcircuiting a resistor included in thefieldwinding circuit of an exciter generator to control the excitationof a main generator and, accordingly, the voltage of the regulatedcircuit. The short-circuiting of the resistor is effected at asubstantially constant rate but the duration of the short-circuitedcondition in each cycle of operations varies in accordance with theoperation of the main control element by the voltage obtaining on theregulated circuit. In a regulator of the type just mentioned, a minimumvoltage is had upon the regulated circuit when a load obtains whichmaintains the resistor shortcircuited a greater portion of the time ofeach cycle of operations, and a maximum voltage is had on the regulatedcircuit when a load obtains which maintains the resistor short-circuiteda minimum portion of the time of each cycle of operations.

Thus a low voltage obtains on the regulated circuit when the load isincreased to practically maintain the resistor in a shortcircuitedcondition and a high voltage obtains on the regulated circuit when theload is lowered to such point as to practically constantly maintain theresistor in the exciter field-winding circuit. Between the maximum andthe minimum-voltage limits above mentioned, the voltage of the regulatedcircuit variesin accordance with the load on the regulated circuit and,consequently, such regulator operates with a so-called droopingcharacteristic, that is to say, a regulator operating with a singlevibratory control magnet controlling relays for short-circuiting theexciter field rheostat varies the time of contact engagement so that thevoltage of the line is lower at full load than it iS when no loadconditions obtain.

In a'voltage regulator constructed in accordance with my invention,means is provided for compensating the main control element inaccordance with the load upon the regulated circuit so that the voltageof such circuit is maintained substantially constant, irrespective ofthe load conditions on it.

In practicing my invention, a main control element, comprising a mainmagnet operated in accordance with the regulated circuit voltage and apair of contact members,

is provided for governing a resistor which The auxiliary electromagnetserves to assist the main magnet in operating the main contact membersand is operated by the main contact members in accordance with thevoltage obtaining on the regulated circuit and. accordingly, inaccordance with the load obtaining on such circuit. The auxiliaryelectromagnet normally balances the pull upon thecontact lever arm tomaintain it in a condition of equilibrium. The pull of the auxiliarymagnet comprises the weight of its core member plus its magnetic pull.In a vibratory system of regulation, the effective magnetic pull isdependent upon the rate of vibrations which decreases with an increasein load. Since the auxiliary electromagnet is connected across the load.circuit, the energization thereof is less under.

circuit conditions,

the indicated conditions. Therefore, the magnetic pull of the auxiliaryelectromagnet is lessened.

In a system of regulation having a balanced control arm, removing aportion of the pull which balances the arm gives the resultant efi'ectof adding a force tending to actuate the arm to disturb the condition ofequilibrium. Thus, upon engagement between the main contact members, thesecond relay serves to short-circuit the energizing winding of theauxiliary magnet and thus the auxiliary magnet assists the main mag.-net in holding the main contact members in engagement with each other.Inasmuch as the auxiliary magnet is controlled by the main contactmembers and is connected across the load circuit, the variations in theenergization of the auxiliary magnet will be directly in accordance withthe regulatedwhereby the periodicity of contact vibrations will bemaintained irrespective of load conditions. Thus, the auxiliary magnetserves to vary ,tion of the main control element the operain a manner tocompensate for all lead changes on the regulated circui The second relayalso short-circuits the auxiliar resistor u on en a ement between themain contact members to vary the energization of the main magnet and,consequently, to effect vibration of one of the main contact members.

The single figure of the accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view ofa regulatorsystem embodying my invention.

In the accompanying drawing, a generator 1, comprising an armature 2 anda field winding 3, is directly connected to a threephase supply circuitcomprising conductors 4, and 6. The field winding 3 of the generator isenergized by an exciter generator 4 comprising an armature 8 and a fieldwinding 9. The field winding 9 is connected in circuit with a resistor10 which is shortcircuited in a customary manner to be hereihafter setforth.

A main control element 11, comprising a main magnet 12 and an auxiliarymagnet 13, is provided for governing the excitation of the generator 1to maintain substantiallyconstant voltage upon theconductors- 4, 5 and6. The main magnet 12 embodies a winding 14, which is connected inseries with an auxiliary resistor 15 across the supply conductors 4 and6, and a core armature 16 which is pivotally connected to a contact arm17. The core armature 16 is provided with a dash pot 18 for adjustingits speed of operation.

lhe auxiliary electromagnet 13 comprises a winding 19, which isenergized, as will be hereinafter set forth, for assisting the operationof the main magnet 12, and a core armature 20, which is connected to thecontact arm 17 by means of the spring member 21. The core armature 20 isprovided with a dash pot 22' for adjusting its speed of o ration. Thecontact arm 17 isfulcrume at 23, intermediate the points of connectionof the core armatures 16 and 20, and carries a main contact member 24which co-operates with a stationary main contact member 25. A springmember 26 is provided for counterbalancing a portion of the weight ofthe core armature 16.

Two relays 27 and 28 are controlled main contact members 24 and forvarying the value of the resistor 10 and for compensating the maincontrol element in accordance with the load upon the regulated circuit.Moreover, the second relay varies the energization of the main magnet 12to constantly vibrate the main contact member 24.

The contact members 24 and 25 are connected in series with a resistor 29across the armature of the exciter 7 and the energizing windings of therelays 27 and 28 are connected across such circuit so that, u onengagement between the contact mem ers 24 and 25, the windings of therelays are shortcircuited. The relay 27 is connected across the resistor10 so that the resistor 10 is shortcircuited when the contact members 24and 25 are in engagement with each other and is inserted in thecircuitof the field winding 9 when the relay 27 is energized by the separationof the main contact members 24 and 25 by the The relay 28, uponengagement between thecontact members 24 and 25, serves to short circuitthe resistor 15 which is in cludedin the circuit of the windin 14 andtoshort-circuit the winding 19 of t e auxiliary magnet 13. Thus, uponoperation of the relay 28, the 'resistor 15 is short-circuited toincrease the energization of the main magnet 12, and the winding of theauxiliary magnet is short-circuited to assist the main ma net 12 inmaintaining the main contact mem rs 24 and 25 in engagement with eachother.

In case a voltage below normal value obtains on the supply conductors 4,5 and 6, the energization of the main magnet 12 is reduced to effectengagement between the contact members 24 and 25. U on engagementbetween the contact mem ers 24 and 25, the windings of the relays 27 and28 are short-circuited. The relay 27 thereupon short-circuits theresistor 10 to increase the energization of the exciter 7 and the maingenerator 1 to raise the voltage obtaining upon the conductors 4, 5 and6. The relay 28 short-circuits the resistor 15 to increase theenergization of the main magnet and, accordingly, to effect a separationof the contact members 24 and 25. However, upon separation of thecontact members 24 and separation of'the contact members 24 and 25, isreduced to correspondingly help the main magnet 12 in maintainingengagement between such contact members.

In the operation of the regulator, it will be noted the main magnet 12determines the relative'time during which the resistor 10 is maintainedin a short-circuited condition, and the relay 28, operating on theresistor 15, determines the rate of vibration of the contact member 24.Moreover, the operation of the auxiliary magnet 13 is varied in ac*cordance with the operation of the contact members 24 and 25, and,accordingly, in acand 6 carry a heavy 10a cordance with the load orvoltage conditions obtaining on the supply conductors 4, 5 and 6. Thus,in case the sup 1y conductors 4, 5

(i and the energization of the main magnet 12 is reduced by reason ofthe reduction in voltage on the regulated circuit, the contact members24 and 25 will bemaintained closed a greater v portion of each cycle ofoperation to main tain a short-circuit across the winding of theauxiliary magnet 13 a greater portion of the time, and, consequently, toassist the main magnet in maintaining the contact members 24 and 25 inengagement with each other. Such operation of the auxiliary magnet 13 isvaried in accordance with the load upon the conductors 4, 5 and 6 and,consequently, the main control element is compensated to revent theso-called drooping characteristic now common in regulators of this type.

Modifications in the system and arrangement and location of parts may bemade within the spirit and scope of my invention, and such modificationsare intended to be covered by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a voltage-regulator system, a maincontrol element comprising a main magnet,

contact members operated by the main magnet, a resistor included incircuit with the main magnet and having the value thereof varied inaccordance with the operation of said contact members, and an auxiliarymagnot controlled by the contact members and adapted to assist the mainmagnet.

2. In a voltage'regulator system for maintaining a substantia lyconstant supply-circuit voltage, a main magnet energized in accordancewith the supply-circuit voltage, contact members controlled by the mainmagnet,

energized in accordance with the supplyand an auxiliary magnet also saidmagnet to operate the contact members in accordance with supply circuitconditions.

4. In a voltage regulator of the vibratory type for governing thevoltage on a supply circuit, a main magnet, contact members controlledby said magnet, means controlled by the contact members for varying theen- I ergization of said magnetto vibrate one of the contact members,and an auxiliary magnot controlled by the contact members for assistingthe main magnet in accordance with the voltage conditions obtaining onthe supply circuit.

5. In a voltage regulator of the vibratory type for governing thevoltage on a supply circuit, a main magnet, a resistor in the energizingcircuit of said magnet, contact; members controlled by said magnet,means for controlling the value of said resistor to vary theenergization of the main magnet so as to vibrate one of the contactmembers, and means comprising an auxiliary magnet operated in accordancewith the. supply-circuit voltage, and adapted to assist said mainmagnet.

6. In a voltage-regulator system, the combination comprising a supplycircuit, a main magnet energized in accordance with the voltageobtaining on the supply circuit, contact members operated by the mainmagnet, means controlled by the contact members fdr vibrating one of thecontact members and an auxiliary magnet controlled by the contactmembers and serving to assist the main magnet in accordance with thesupply-circuit voltage, to operate the contact members.

7 In a voltage regulator for a supply circuit, a main magnet operated inaccordance ing the main magnet to operate the contact members inaccordance with supply-circuit conditions.

' 8. In a voltage-regulator system, the combination with a supplcircuit. a main generator connected to t e supply circuit, an

exciter generator for energizing the main generator, and a variableresistor in circuit.

with the eXciter field windings, of a main control element forcontrolling said resistor to maintain substantially constantsupplycircuit voltage, said element comprising a main magnet, contactmembers operated by the main magnet in accordance with the supply-circuit voltage, means controlled by the contact members for varyingthe energization of the main magnet to vibrate one of the contactmembers, and means comprising an auxiliary magnet for compensating themain control magnet in accordance with the supply-circuit conditions.

9. In a voltage regulator system for maintaining a constantsupply-circuit voltage, a main magnet energized in accordance with thesupply-circuit voltage, contact members controlled thereby, aresistor incircuit with said magnet, a shunt circuit for said resistor, meanscontrolled by said contact 1nem bers and adapted tocontrol said shuntcircuit, and an auxiliary ma net energized in accordance with thesupply-circuit voltage and also controlled by said shunt circuit controlmeans.

10. In a voltage regulator, a supply circuit, a main magnet energized inaccordance with the voltage thereof, switch mechanism controlledthereby, means in circuit with said magnet and controlled by said switchmechanism for producing a vibratory action thereof, and an auxiliarymagnet energized in accordance with the supply-circuit voltwith a powercircuit and a dynamo'electric machine connected thereto, of regulatormeans therefor comprising a balanced contact arm, two electromagnetsco-operating therewith, and means for controlling one of saidelectromagnets to compensate said regu lator. means for variations inload upon said power circuit.

12. In a regulator system, the combination with a power circuit and adynamo-electric 4 machine connected thereto, of regulator means thereforcom-prising a balanced con tact arm, two electroma ets co-operatingtherewith, one of sai magnets being adapted to compensate said regulatormeans for variations in voltage caused by load changes in said powercircuit.

13. In a regulator system, the combination with a power circuit, adynamo-electric machine connected thereto, and a source of ex- 5citation for said machine, of regulator means for controlling theexcitation of said machine and comprising an electromagnet energized inaccordance with the power-circuit voltage, contact members controlledthereby, and a second electromagnet energized in accordance with thepower-circuit voltage, said second electromagnet co-operating with thefirst-mentioned electromagnet to compensate said regulator for loadchanges in said power-circuit.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th dayof Aug.

age and adapted to assist said main magnet. 1919.

11. In a regulator system, the combination CLARENCE A. BODDIE.

